Saber-Tooth Tiger Skeleton, Massive Gold Nugget Lead Formidable Lineup in I.M. Chait Important Natural History Auction, May 4

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The finest known example of a saber-tooth tiger skeleton and a hefty Australian gold nugget lead an imposing array of ancient fossils, meteorites and mineral specimens in I.M. Chait's May 4 Important Natural History Auction in Beverly Hills.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130501/PH04609-a)

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130501/PH04609-b)

The 67-inch-long tiger skeleton (Lot 326) represents a fearsome predator that once roamed South Dakota's White River Badlands. It heads the zoological portion of the sale with a $250,000-$300,000 estimate.

"The saber-tooth tiger's reputation precedes him," said Jake Chait, director of I.M. Chait's Natural History department. "With one swipe, he could sever the arteries or windpipe of another animal, making it easy prey."

The tiger skeleton is superbly preserved and 70-80% intact, with incredible 4-inch-long sabers. "There isn't a more complete specimen of this type anywhere," said Chait. "This skeleton presents an extremely rare opportunity for scientific research."

A massive woolly rhinoceros skeleton (Lot 325) dates to the Pleistocene Epoch of the Quaternary Period. This premier specimen previously resided in the Kashiwagi Museum Collection in Japan. Estimate: $90,000-$120,000.

The 12in skull of an extremely rare giant dire wolf (Lot 324) came from the Rancho La Brea Formation in Kern County, California, where tar pits similar to those at LA's La Brea site proved a fatal attraction to indigenous beasts. Estimate: $60,000-$80,000.

The 59in skeleton of a marine reptile known as a Mosasaur (Lot 295) Late Cretaceous Period, exhibits a streamlined body and broad, flexible tail. It represents the closest ancient relative to today's snakes. Estimate: $50,000-$60,000.

Other fascinating animal fossils include a Mosasaurus skull (Lot 296) clenching a brilliant ammonite in its jaws; the skull of an ancient South American penguin (Lot 281), and a baby Triceratops skull (Lot 311). An extraordinary fossilized pterodactyl (Lot 312) documents one of the first vertebrates to make the transformation to flight. Wings are clearly present on its body form, captured in limestone. Estimate: $70,000-$80,000.

The centerpiece of the precious gems section is an exquisite marine-life chess set (Lot 97) created by gemologist and jewelry designer Sylvia Quispe, Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Its 32 playing pieces replicate sea creatures crafted from purple Tanzanian rubies and royal blue Afghan lapis with solid 18K gold. This masterpiece is estimated at $150,000-$170,000.

Mineral specimens are led by an intensely hued Australian gold nugget with natural quartz (Lot 23). Its gold weight, alone, is a robust 3100g (99.67 ozt). Estimate: $275,000-$325,000. 

The Saturday, May 4 auction begins at 1PM Pacific Time, at I.M. Chait gallery, 9330 Civic Center Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210. All forms of bidding will be available, including live online through LiveAuctioneers.com and Artfact.com.

Queries: 1-800-775-5020 or 310-285-0182; E-mail. Website: http://www.chait.com/.

This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE I.M. Chait